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Proverbs 13

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The Value of Wise Instruction 1–3

1
A wise son heareth his father's instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke. ​
2
A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence. ​
3
He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

Diligence, Integrity, and Destiny 4–9

4
The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. ​
5
A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame.
6
Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthroweth the sinner.
7
There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. ​
8
The ransom of a man's life are his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke. ​
9
The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out. ​

Pride, Wisdom, and the Law 10–14

10
Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom. ​
11
Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.
12
Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life. ​
13
Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded. ​
14
The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

Good Understanding Brings Favor 15–18

15
Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.
16
Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly.
17
A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health.
18
Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.

The Power of Association and Legacy 19–25

19
The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.
20
He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. ​
21
Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed.
22
A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. ​
23
Much food is in the tillage of the poor: but there is that is destroyed for want of judgment.
24
He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes. ​
25
The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall want.

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Proverbs 13

Verse 1

A wise son heareth his father's instruction — 'Instruction' is musar, discipline or chastening, the word rendered 'chasteneth' in v.24. 'Rebuke' is ge'arah, the same word as in v.8. The 'scorner' (luts) is the mocker who cannot be corrected: 'Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee' (Prov 9:8).

Verse 2

the fruit of his mouth — Speech is pictured as a crop that its sower eats: 'A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth' (Prov 12:14). 'Transgressors' (bagad) are the treacherous, the word of v.15; their harvest is chamas, violence, as 'violence covereth the mouth of the wicked' (Prov 10:11).

Verse 4

shall be made fat — Dashen, to fatten, to be satisfied; the same root is used of anointing. The sluggard (atsel) 'desireth' (avah) yet gains nothing, while the diligent (charuts, literally cut or incised, hence decisive) are filled. Compare 'the hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute' (Prov 12:24).

Verse 7

maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing — The two verbs are ashar and rush, to pose as rich and to pose as poor. The first is show without substance, as in Laodicea's 'I am rich, and increased with goods' (Rev 3:17); the second is Paul's 'as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things' (2 Cor 6:10).

Verse 8

The ransom of a man's life — Kopher is the price paid to redeem a life. Riches can buy it in a threat, but the poor man (rush, as in v.7) 'heareth not rebuke' (ge'arah, as in v.1): no threat reaches him. The ransom that wealth cannot pay is of another kind: 'not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold' (1 Pet 1:18).

Verse 9

the lamp of the wicked shall be put out — Ner, the household lamp, set against the 'light' (or) of the righteous, which 'rejoiceth' (samach). The wicked lamp's extinction recurs in 'the candle of the wicked shall be put out' (Prov 24:20; also Job 18:5), while 'the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more' (Prov 4:18).

Verse 10

Only by pride cometh contention — Zadon is presumption, arrogance; matstsah is quarrel, strife. The proverb names pride as the one source of quarrels. Its counterpart is the 'well advised' (ya'ats, to take counsel): 'he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise' (Prov 12:15), whereas the fool's way 'is right in his own eyes'.

Verse 12

Hope deferred maketh the heart sick — 'Deferred' is mashak, to draw out, prolong; 'sick' is chalah, to be weak or ill. The remedy is 'the desire' (ta'avah) arriving, as in v.19, 'The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul'. 'A tree of life' is also said of wisdom (Prov 3:18) and of 'the fruit of the righteous' (Prov 11:30).

Verse 13

despiseth the word — Buz, to hold in contempt; 'the word' (davar) and 'the commandment' (mitsvah) are the LORD's instruction. 'Be rewarded' is shalam, to repay in full, the verb of v.21 'repayed'. The despiser's end is as in Num 15:31, 'he hath despised the word of the LORD'; for the other, 'in keeping of them there is great reward' (Ps 19:11).

Verse 20

He that walketh with wise men — Halak, to walk, the habitual going of a life. 'Companion' is ra'ah, which means to tend a flock and so to keep company with. 'Destroyed' is a verb of breaking, to be marred or broken. Paul says the same: 'evil communications corrupt good manners' (1 Cor 15:33); contrast 'I am a companion of all them that fear thee' (Ps 119:63).

Verse 22

the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just — Tsaphan is to hoard or store away. The saying is borne out in Job 27:16–17: 'the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver'; and 'he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor' (Prov 28:8). 'His seed shall be mighty upon earth' (Ps 112:2) reflects the first half.

Verse 24

spareth his rod — Shebet is the stick, the shepherd's and the ruler's rod. 'Chasteneth' is musar, the word of v.1, and 'betimes' is shachar, from the verb 'to dawn': early, earnestly. The reasoning is that of God with his sons: 'For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth' (Heb 12:6); also 'Withhold not correction from the child' (Prov 23:13).